We Are Answering God's Call!

This has been an incredible week in more ways than one. We stand amazed at the work our Lord God is doing in our lives! James 1:27 tells us to care for the orphans and the widows. God has blessed our family greatly with Grace and Jon, Junior and Elisha, and now little Nicole. 

We so loved caring for baby Paxton at this time last year, too. That was a terrific 7 weeks. It's hard to believe that he is now one! Oh my goodness!

We recently learned that my cousin's grandchildren are in foster care due to neglect. They are in a wonderful Christian foster home, which is a blessing. As far as the state of NH is concerned, we are considered "full" right now, as we have 6 children under the age of 18. The only way that the state would place another child with us right now, is if they are a biological relative of the children we have in care. For example, if Nicole's Mom had a baby that came into foster care, they could come to our home regardless of how many children are in our home. 

We looked into changing the legislation so that the state could decide that an experienced family could have more than 6 children in their home. The legislation can not be changed until 2013. We were hoping to get it changed in February so that we could be a back up plan for my cousin's grandchildren if need be. This was not to be. This was not God's plan for our family. 

So after great prayer and looking to the Lord, we feel that He is leading us to pursue a private adoption this coming year. We are being called to adopt an infant from the United States. We have recently learned that brown skinned babies, as well as other nationalities, and special needs babies are NOT in demand. In our country what is in demand are "perfect" white babies. So we are going to request to be referred to the babies that need a home.

We have located an attorney in NH, that comes highly recommended. She has worked with 2 other families that we know, and they love her. 

On Friday, as a family, we decided to go this route. The initial consultation with the attorney is $225.00. We sat down, and put together an envelope. It privately went from person to person within our little 8 person family. Each person gave from their heart. When we tallied up the total in the envelope, it contained $291.02! Isn't that amazing? I burst into tears of joy! We called up the attorney's office, and she asked if we could meet with her on Monday, December 5th. (That's tomorrow)...and we are super excited!

We are bringing with us our homestudy from the state of NH, as well as a profile about our family that I created.

God's word tells us:  "Without faith it is impossible to please God" Hebrews 11:6.


We are stepping out in faith. We don't know what the future will hold, but we are trusting God for the outcome!

I came across this poem and thought it was a touching tribute to adoption.

I tiptoed into your room one night.
I watched you sleeping there.
Your tiny body looked so snug
Wrapped in peaceful slumber's care.

I thought of how you came to be
The child we'd longed to know.
I wondered at the sight of you:
"How could she let you go?"

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I
Felt the pain she must have known.
For I will have to let you go
Some day when you are grown.

A mother I might never meet
Had given me her son.
Yet, surely as you've filled my heart,
A piece of hers you'd won.

"How could she let you go?"
The question kept returning.
And in the depths of my own heart.
A question kept on burning.

"How can I ever let you go
When years have come and gone?"
I stood there by your crib until
The nighttime turned to dawn.

And as the sun peeked through the shades,
The voice of God broke through.
"I trusted her to give him life
And now I'm trusting you.

"To show him what is right and wrong,
to love him and to be
The one who teaches him the way
To come back home to me.

"He wasn't hers to give, you know.
And he's not yours to own.
I've placed him in your life to love
But he is mine … on loan."


Please join us in praying for God's will with our adoption journey! We'd love to hear from you, too!

We are totally trusting God for every step of this process, to include all of the finances. To our Heavenly Father, this is what He loves to do for His children!

In His Care and Because He Lives,

Mary for the Winslow Family